GCV Powerlist 2017: Bernhard Mohr

Bernhard Mohr joined Evonik in 2012 to set up its corporate venturing activities, and became managing director of Evonik Venture Capital in 2013.

He has more than 20 years of professional experience in the chemicals and venture capital industry, having joined Evonik after five and a half years working at Germany-based chemicals company BASF’s corporate venturing unit.

Before moving to BASF Venture Capital, Mohr held multiple roles at BASF. Between 1985 and 1996 he studied chemistry in Germany and the US and had postgraduate assignments in Japan, the US and France, working with Nobel laureates Robert Grubbs and Jean-Pierre Sauvage, including Airborne Oil & Gas, Algal Scientific, Biosynthetic Technologies, FRX Polymers, JeNaCell, Nanocomp, Synoste, Vivasure and Wiivv..

Evonik Venture Capital invests globally in startups and specialist venture capital funds. Investments are guided by strategic goals and financial returns. Since inception, Mohr has built a team of 10 investment professionals, including Lutz Stoeber, a GCV Rising Star 2017.

Evonik Venture Capital has closed 17 investments, both direct and indirect. The investments are oriented toward the company’s important megatrends of health and nutrition, resource efficiency and globalisation. Most recently, Evonik Venture Capital expanded its activities to China with two initial fund investments, including a strategic commitment to the China-based, agriculture and nutrition-focused Hosen Capital Fund III. Its other In addition, limited partnerships include Pangaea Ventures, Emerald Technology Ventures and GRC SinoGreen Fund..

Asked about his ambitions, Mohr cited maintaining Evonik’s position as one of the most active CVC investors in the chemicals and materials space, expanding Evonik’s investment activities into the digital space, and increasing the company’s venture capital footprint in Asia.